Clutch.



No. 697,206. Patented Apr. 8, |902.

H. L. HENDERSON.

CLUTCH.

(Application me; Aug. a1. 190x.)

(No Model.)

wit eamo HERMON L. HENDERSON, OF STEPHENS MILLS, NEIV YORK.

CLUTCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 697,206, dated .April8, 1902.

Application filed August 3l, 1901. Serial No. 74,008. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom t may con/cern:

Be it known that I, HERMONL. HENDERSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Stephens Mills, in the county of Steuben and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clutches; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention comprises clutch members and interposed balls, the latteracting in the dual capacity of ball-bearings and gripping elements tocompel simultaneous rotation of the clutch members when the power-drivenmember is turned in the predetermined position for setting the clutch.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and alsoto acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means foreffecting the result reference is to be had to the following descriptionand drawings hereto attached. A

lVhile the essential and characteristic features of the invention aresusceptible of modiiication, still the preferred embodiment of theinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figurel is a perspective view of the female member. Fig. 2 is an elevation ofthe male member. Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the position of theballs when the members are out of mesh. Fig. et is a view similar toFig. 3, showing the position of the balls when the members areinterlocked for simultaneous rotation. Fig. 5 is a modification. Figs. 6and Zare detail views of the members entering into the formation of theclutch shown in Fig. 5.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

The clutch comprises two members l and 2 and interposed balls 3. Thepart l (designated as the female member) is provided upon its innercircumference with inclined grooves 3, and the part 2 (distinguished asthe male member) is provided with a circular boss 4:, having an annulargroove 5 and intercommunicating notches l5. The boss l fits within thecentral opening of the'member l, and the balls 3 are arranged to extendabout half-way into each of the grooves 3 and 5. One of the members onlyis adapted to have the driving power applied thereto, the same beingtransmitted to the other member through the balls 3 in the mannerpresenlly to be stated. Then the members of the clutch are arranged sothat the female member 1 is rotated in the direction indicated by thearrow in Fig. 3, theballs 3 travel in the annular groove 5, and nomotion is imparted to themember 2; but in the event of the member 1being rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 4 theballs 3 are caused to enter the notches G, and when they reach the endthereof the' two members l and 2 become interlocked and rotate togetherin the same direction. A reversal of the movement of the member lreturns the balls into the annular groove 5 and releases the clutchmember 2 and unshps the parts connected thereby.

In the form of clutch shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7 the members l and 2*Lare disks or plates, the member lfL having inclined grooves 3 and themember 2 having an annular groove 5L and notches 6 leading therefrom.The balls 3 t in matching portions of the grooves and operate in themanner aforesaid. Within the scope of the invention it is immaterialwhether the notches 6 or 6 extend from the groove 5 either at a rightangle or at any angle greater or less than a right angle, the latterarrangement being preferred, as the balls are better retained in thenotches.

The clutch is especially adapted for propulsive mechanism ofmechanically-propelled vehicles and the driving mechanismof agriculturalmachinery, although it is susceptible of general application where aclutch is required for use to effect a shipping and unshipping ofrotating parts. Y

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new isl. In aclutch, cooperating members, one of the members having inclined groovesand the other member having an annular groove and notches extendingtherefrom, and balls fitted in the respective grooves and constitutingantifriction and gripping elements, substantially as set forth.

ICO

2. In aclutch, cooperating members, one of the members having inclinedgrooves and the other member having an annular groovel said groove, andballs fitted in the said grooves and 'adapted no effect an interlockingbetween the members and cause simultaneous rota- I5 tion thereof in thesame direction, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

HERMON L. HENDERSON.

Witnesses:

CHARLES W. STEVENS, J. E. B. SANTEE.

